Search Results for: "sarah mcfarlane"

In medicine, innovative treatments don’t emerge out of thin air; they are the result of a series of advancements in our understanding of how genes, molecules, and cells interact. The human eye is no stranger to this rule. In fact, there is still much we don’t understand about the genetic and cellular foundations of sight….

At the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) we are motivated by a singular goal: develop new treatments for blindness and vision loss. This goal fuels all of the research that we fund. Today, we know more about blinding eye diseases than ever before. This knowledge is power because it shows us where to direct our resources…

This is a tough question to answer, but one thing is for certain: you are bound to get a different answer, depending on who you ask. This question – and the answers to it – are at the core of what we are trying to do here at the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). The FFB’s…

According to Dr. Sarah McFarlane, zebrafish hold important clues to restoring sight. These tiny, transparent, iridescent creatures provide Dr. McFarlane with a window into eye development, eye disease, and ultimately, to new treatments. In the blinding eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD), vision loss occurs when cells in the eye begin to die. This process…

Tiny zebrafish could reveal the key to effective cell transplantation. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a thin layer of cells that covers the back of the retina and is crucial for photoreceptor health. Defects in the RPE lead to photoreceptor degeneration, and loss of sight. One approach to treat eye diseases such as age-related…

We only invest in the best research. But, how do we choose? How do we predict which research project is the most promising hope for the future? The answer is peer review—a tried and true method that is used around the world to critically evaluate new research. Studies show that this is the best way…